Anti-theft and Security Advice
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), in 2005 there were 70,613 motorcycles stolen. Later in this article, I will tell you where your state ranks in the number of motorcycles stolen. I will also tell you what make and models that are the most stolen. You can determine from this information what your relative level of risk is based on where you live and what make and model motorcycle you own.
In this article I have identified three risk levels of theft, low, medium and high. There are also three levels of security, low, medium and high. Be aware that this is not an exact science nor is it rocket science.
One very important point before I proceed. 95% of all vehicle theft could be eliminated if no one ever bought stolen parts or vehicles. So keep that in mind if you ever are presented with an opportunity to buy stolen parts. One day you might be buying your own!
The first thing to consider about theft prevention is to determine where your bike is most at risk. There can only be two places, at home or away from home. If you live in an apartment there is potentially much greater exposure than in a house with a carport or garage.
Easy access and quick getaway is a thief's greatest benefit
Tips for securing your bike at your residence
Your residence is the place where you should be able to achieve the highest level of security. In order to attain a high level of security you need a fixed and immovable object to secure your bike to. Anchors such as ABUS or Kryptonite are excellent anchors that are small and unobtrusive. Secure the bike with a high quality chain such as On Guard Beast , Kryptonite Fahgettaboudit or ABUS Super Magnum Chain . You should run the chain through a part of the frame if possible and at a minimum run it through the frame of the center stand and rear wheel. See picture. You can also configure a chain with alarm by using a XENA disc alarm with the XENA Claw . This setup converts the chain into an alarm system. If the chain is moved along with the lock this movement triggers the alarm and a 110 db siren is activated.
Photo 1
In Photo 1 above we used an ABUS Floor Anchor and an On Guard Beast Chain to secure a Honda ST1300. We ran the chain through the center stand and rear wheel.
In addition to securing your motorcycle to a fix and immovable object, you should use an alarm to draw attention to the bike, alert you, or be loud enough to cause hearing discomfort for the potential thief. Alarm systems can be as sophisticated as the Scorpio Alarms or as simple but effective as the XENA Disc alarms. The Scorpio Alarms Systems with the two way FM pagers are particularly effective for an early warning system. The perimeter sensor is especially valuable in that it can alert you before a potential thief even physically touches the bike. The siren on the Scorpio was painfully loud for my ears especially in an enclosed space such as a garage.
In Photo 2 below, we are using the XENA Claw and XENA XN-15 Disc Alarm with an OnGuard Chain and ABUS Anchor. The XENA Disc Alarm emits 110db of ear piercing sound from its built- in water-proof siren. The XENA Disc Alarm can be used on the disc rotor without the CLAW and Chain when traveling away from your residence. The great thing about the Claw if you already have a chain or cable you can simply buy the Claw and XN-15 and now you have a chain or cable alarm!
Photo 2
The XENA XHC-15 Chain & XN-15 Disc Alarm combines XENA's massive 7Ft 6" chain and XN-15 Disc Alarm, as shown in Photo 3 below.
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Photo 3 |
The Abus Power Chain Double Loop 37 is a chain that is looped at both ends which could give you nearly the equivalent of an 8 foot chain without the extra weight of the longer chain because of this double loop design. The links are also 11mm in thickness and made of ultra hard steel. The combination of this thickness and hardness makes it almost impossible to be cut with bolt cutters.
Abus Power Chain Double Loop 37
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